ISCA’s recommendation to the International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS V) to take place in Berlin on 28-30 May 2013.

It is time to focus!

On the 28-30 May in Berlin, Germany, the MINEPS V will take place. In the Draft Declaration 38 commitments for the Ministers are recommended. These 38 proposed commitments include a wide range of non-related topics from general commitments on the Human Right to access physical activity to commitments on the bidding process of international sport events.

We suggest that MINEPS has a stronger priority and focus on the access to quality physical education and physical activity as a Human Right.

We suggest a stronger priority on raising the quality and quantity of physical education and integrating physical activity in everyday life.

Physical Education

Despite the scientific facts that physical activity improves general learning capacity, the quantity and quality of physical education in primary and secondary schools has not improved globally. In fact it is quite the opposite; physical education seems to have been given a lower and lower priority compared to other subjects.

Physical Activity

Despite the scientific facts that a sedentary lifestyle can result in severe non-communicable diseases and lower quality of life, we have created societies which do not inspire and motivate citizens to be physically active. Instead we have created schools and societies where the norm is to be inactive. We have to create a new norm. We have to create societies where everybody is inspired and motivated to be physically active.

The human body is designed to move. However, today’s ten-year-olds are the first generation expected to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. This is due to the new inactive lifestyle norm! It is estimated that 10-year-old children are expected to live five years less than their parents.

We believe the MINEPS  should focus on giving the children back these five years and prioritise raising the quality and quantity of physical education and integrating physical activity into everyday life.

ISCA demands:

• focus on the design of political programs and policies to support significant improvement of physical education.
• cooperation with relevant sector NGOs to identify and plan actions which can integrate physical activity into everyday life.